H ow to Do a Science Fair Project

1. How to Do aScience Fair Project New Covenant School

2. Important Dates! • Between October 14th and November 4th : • Students email school office to let us know the career they will use. Students cannot change project titles or project types after they have emailed their project title & type to us. Use the school’s email address ( nucovenant@aol.com) AND please make the subject line SF Topic. This allows us to use the info to type the program with the kids’ names. • Drop Off with Interviews: Project Drop-offs & Interviews: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m on Thursday, November 13th Public viewing and Awards: • 6pm-6:45 pm on Thursday, November 13th

3. General Rules for all grades: • Handouts of Rules are available beside the box folders in the school office. • Work should be done by student • No glass; nothing that requires power from us (batteries only) • No living plants or creatures • Any essays written should be done on a word processor. • Hand-drawn artwork will receive many more points than computer generated work. The reason is integrity. We have little ability to check whether computer-generated artwork is the child's own. • Handmade objects will receive more points than bought objects or objects acquired from relatives or friends will receive more points than bought objects or objects acquired from relatives or friends.

4. Costumes • Students must wear their costumes to the drop-off date in order to receive any points for costumes. Costumes not worn will be treated as objects and not as costumes for points.

5. After the Fair • Projects not taken home after the Thursday night awards ceremony will be disposed of by the school staff. We can’t keep in in the office. • If you cannot be there due to illness, please make arrangements for someone else to pick up your project. We are not responsible for projects not removed that evening. • Families living outside of Brevard County who cannot attend the event in person can arrange for the work to be UPS-edhome.

6. Project Types • There will be 4 project types: • Experiment • Demonstration • 3-D Presentation • Research Presentation • Each type will have its own point scale. In each grade level, for winners, the project types will be compared by %-iles of total points possible. • There will be up to a total of 4 winners per grade level. • They might all be in one project type. • They might be in different project types.

7. Experiments

8. Experiment Project Examples: • Which of 5 solar ovens produces the higher temperature? • Which of 3 solar chargers charges fastest? • Which bicycle produces the most energy? • What shape requires the least travel distances for community development? • Can Wind Power a Human Vehicle on Land?

9. Demonstration

10. Demonstration Examples: • How composting works • Solar Oven Cooking • Creating a vehicle from plastic milk jugs • Square Foot Gardening • Xeriscaping in Central Florida • How Landscaping Properly Can Save You Energy and Money • Conserving Water in the Home • Aquaculture

11. 3D Presentation

12. 3D Projects

13. Research Presentation

14. Research Presentation Paper Topic Examples: • Which is the least expensive energy: Wind, Solar, Coal, or Nuclear Energy? • Which fuel is least expensive, ethanol or gasoline? • Driving Tricks That Save Gasoline • Underground Homes – Advantages & Disadvantages • Can Energy Efficient Glass Save Money?

15. The Costume Definitions & Explanations of Categories The Information The Interview The Visual Presentation The Experiment The Demonstration The Research

16. Costumes • Costumes made by the student, even if inferior in quality, will receive more points than costumes bought or acquired from someone else. • Students should know why they are wearing the particular costume.

17. Costumes Costume should be one of the following 2 types: a costume of a product or item associated with the demonstration or 3D presentation a costume showing a uniform for the career Organic Carrot Mr. Solar Energy Clean Water Mr. Light Bulb

18. Information • Reading a book on the topic will get you extra points. (on reading contest list) • The student is expected to know lots of information on the topic he chooses. • This would include facts, statistics, history, etc. • The student should be able to define any word on the board.

19. The Interview • The interview is Thursday night. • Each student can expect to wait by their project for an interview from their judge. • The wait may be up to 20 minutes. • Out of area families can do their interview via an online meeting with the judge. Parents of out of area families should email the school office in January for an appointment.

20. Interview Skills The student should practice good oral presentation skills of: Eye contact • Easily audible voice level • Introductory handshake; concluding/thank you handshake • Good knowledge of their career • Use of their own visual display • Don’t turn to the board completely to show things. Face the judge and point with hands. Don’t turn the back to the judge. • Keeping in character with their costume • Remember whom their costume represents & BE that person.

21. Visual Presentation • Must have a free-standing (self-supporting) display that is vertically oriented. • Strongly suggest using "Science Fair" boards • Cover the board with contact paper to allow you to reuse it for years • Hint: After the fair, remove items from board before storing. Old tape is a bear to remove, & colors can fade onto the board. • Maximum Dimensions • 1. Height 36" above table height • 2. Width 24" • 3. Depth 12"

22. More – Visual Presentation • No glass, no external power supply, no living creatures, no living plants, no hazardous items • Does include • Drawings/artwork • Food (must NOT require refrigeration overnight) • Unworn costumes • Tools or items frequently used in the career • Objects made for the display • Photographs from career shadowing • Other objects • For grades 3-12: essays, reports, citations

23. Organization • Labels • Obvious flow of artwork, objects • Put food, art objects near relevant info on board • Put essays near any relevant topic when possible • Good, readable color schemes • Neatness

24. More – Visual Presentation Example: The Problem: Reduce My Family’s Energy Costs Alternative Energy To Reduce Home Energy Costs • Ways We Saved Energy • Turned lights off during day • Cooked solar 4 dinners a week • Unplugged electronics when not using • Bought a clothes line for drying clothes & used it! Cost of Our Electricity Compared July 2010 July 2011 $250 $191 $59 a month ! About 24% ! Our Solar Oven Made from oven bag, bucket, & car windshield shade Favorite Solar Recipes Solar Tea Solar Stew Solar Brownies • What Next? • Aluminum Foil on Windows! • We will learn to save water! Our Clothesline Blah, blah Solar Brownies Essay on table

25. More – Visual Presentation Use good, readable color schemes • Bad example: • Good examples: Matilda was an excellent kangaroo. Matilda was an excellent kangaroo. Matilda was an excellent kangaroo. Matilda was an excellent kangaroo. Matilda was an excellent kangaroo. Matilda was an excellent kangaroo.

26. More – Visual Presentation Neatness? Neatness! Deathin the Long Grass By Peter Capstick Death in the LongGrass By Peter Capstick

27. Visual Presentation Legibility • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Times New Roman) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Broadway) • Shakespeare's Hamlet (Calibri) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Castellar) • Shakespeare's Hamlet (Kunstier Script) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Mistral) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Verdana) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Engravers MT) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Papyrus) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Vivaldi) • Shakespeare's Hamlet(Kristen ITC) • Shakespeare’s Hamlet(Ariel) • Shakespeare’s Hamlet(Old English Text)

28. Font Size Examples: Little House on the Prairie 12 Little House on the Prairie 18 Little House on the Prairie 26 Little House on the Prairie 28 Little House on the Prairie 36 Little House on the Prairie 48 Little House on 72 Little Hous 96

29. Essays & Written Work • Not appropriate for K-2nd grades • Meets grade level qualifications • Must be done on word processor • Can use computers in computer center at NCCS

30. Points Rubric for Kindergarten – 5th Grade : Experiment

31. Points Rubric for 6th – 12th Grades : Experiment

32. Points Rubric for Kindergarten – 5th Grade : Demonstration

33. Points Rubric for 6th – 12th Grade : Demonstration

34. Points Rubric for Kindergarten – 5th Grade : 3-D Presentation

35. Points Rubric for 6th – 12th Grade : 3-D Presentation

36. Points Rubric for Kindergarten – 5th Grade : Research Presentation

37. Points Rubric for 6th – 12th Grade : Research Presentation

38. Just type them intothe question box on your screen. Questions? I’ll answer the questions in the order received, so be patient. I will repeat the question aloud, so you will know what is being asked. Feel free to ask questions about someone else’s question even.